Cows, Queens, and Candy
by broken-hearted wings
Summary: When the going gets tough, Shadowhunters go trick-or-treating. Rated K  for insinuations.


**~!~** Okay, here's a cute little oneshot for you guys! I know, I'm a meanie for not working on my chapter fic, but I'm distracted and this's what happens when I'm distracted. I do hope everyone enjoys, tell me what you think. Reviews = LOVE and cookies. And everyone loves cookies and love, especially me when I get to give them out for reviews! This story is also made for my bestie, who is the reason I read these books and is a great source of inspiration for me. We basically use each other as sounding boards for story ideas and muse. She'll probably be the reason for most of the Mortal Instrument stories I write. Anyways, Happy Halloween! I hope everyone enjoys this story and their holiday!

Disclaimer: Not mine. Unfortunately. Oh, the things I'd do if it was. **~!~**

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Clary clapped a hand over her mouth to stifle her laughter, while Isabelle didn't even bother and Simon just stared, completely dumbfounded. Jace, as usual, had something clever and snarky in which to express his opinion.

"Wow. You know, for awhile there, I was actually kinda impressed by your sense of self-expression, but yeah, I just gave up on you." Isabelle choked with laughter as she bent over, gasping for breath in-between giggles. Jace shook his head. Clary looked like she didn't know whether to laugh or to cry. Alec looked like he wanted to sink into the floor.

Magnus looked like a cow. In fact, he _was_ a cow. Complete with ears and udders.

"Well, you may all thank Alec for this, because it was his idea." The warlock said grandly, not at all bothered and turning so that they could see his tail. Alec went bright red. Jace indicated his adopted brother's pitchfork and said,

"Don't tell me. You're the farmer." Alec nodded, looking ready to dive behind Magnus. Magnus, who was forced to turn around to see his boyfriend, smirked.

"Don't be bashful, darling. It's not that much worse than what you usually wear!"

"I wish I could say the same for you." Jace said, still examining the giant cow in front of him. He frowned and stared, eyes narrowing. "Wait a second- are you-"

"Glittering. He's glittering." And Clary had thought her day couldn't have gotten any better after they hit the elderly lady with a bowl full of nothing but Kit-Kats. Simon's eyebrows were practically in his hair.

"Was that Alec's idea too? I didn't know you'd gotten into the sparkly-thing." He was struggling to hold onto the tittering Isabelle and inspect Magnus's magnificent costume as well. Alec, on the other hand, didn't want anything to do with it.

"No! The glittering part had nothing to do with me."

"What about the fact he's dressed as a cow?" Jace smirked. Alec blanched.

"And I thought my costume as original." Isabelle looked down at her white dress and white brooch. Jace squinted at her.

"And.. what are you, again?"

"The White Queen from Alice in Wonderland." Isabelle said proudly. She flipped her white wig hair and posed.

"You could've been the Red Queen. You know, the one who always shouts 'Off with his head!'. The only problem is that you're too tall." Isabelle glared at her brother.

"Yes, thank you for bringing that up." She looked to her blood-brother with a devious expression. "I want to know how Magnus being a cow was your idea." Magnus was grinning behind his cow-head, and Alec swallowed.

"Um."

"He dared me." Magnus took up for his boyfriend. "Apparently, I wasn't being very original and he said he'd pay me to go as a cow, probably because he was frustrated with me."

"Frustrated?" Isabelle raised an eyebrow. Alec said something, but no one heard him. Magnus was grinning as he said,

"Come on, they can't hear you.." Alec covered his eyes.

"… He wouldn't let me out of his apartment." Isabelle was tittering again. Simon rolled his eyes and Clary laughed. Jace shook his head.

"So easily manipulated, man." Alec glared at him.

"Okay, you defy the centuries-old warlock with powers we've never heard of."

"He doesn't look that scary to me." Jace smirked, looking Magnus's cow costume up and down.

Hoping to make sure they all managed to get down the neighborhood street in one piece, Clary interrupted.

"Alright kids, no insulting each other's costumes."

Jace pouted.

"Not even the sparkly cow?" He asked, poking Magnus's pink belly and grinning. Isabelle rolled her eyes.

"Not even the sparkly cow." She said, quickly tugging her boyfriend away before he got blasted by the nice warlock inside the sparkly cow outfit. Magnus was looking huffy, so she gave Alec a meaningful glance before asking,

"Shall we trick-or-treat without killing anyone? Remember, the whole point is to get candy, not scare little children or get into fights." She gave Simon a look. He was dressed in a black draping shirt with white diamond around the bottom and a green-and-white hat. He chuckled when he caught her look.

"No worries, children'll fall in love with me." Jace said, in his humble way, turning in a wide circle so that his black cape flowed out.

Clary had to agree. He was dressed as the Phantom of the Opera; with the white mask covering half of his face and a white dress shirt that was unbuttoned and bared most of his chest. Clary was quite impressed with his costume and she told him so.

Alec snorted.

"You're not helping his ego problem." The Shadowhunter informed, rolling his eyes as Jace said back,

"I didn't know it was a problem. I happen to think I'm spectacular." Clary rolled her eyes too, but she was smiling.

"So, are all of you guys clear on the rules of trick-or-treating?" She asked. She really didn't want them to get arrested on Halloween. Isabelle snorted.

"What are we, five? It's trick-or-treating. You walk up, look cute and/or scary, and ask for candy. What could possibly go wrong?" She asked and Clary had to marvel at how she managed to ask that with a straight face, considering her company.

"Yeah, just so that we're clear. This's for fun." Jace snorted.

"I'm only doing this so I can see you in a Spanish dancer's dress." Clary rolled her eyes at him, but ran her hands down her black silk dress, fiddling with the crimson red ruffles while Jace smirked and appreciated her with his eyes.

"And because I promised to stay the night at your house if you dressed up, in a good costume." She felt the need to point out. Jace held his hands up, grinning.

"Guilty as charged. The enormous heels are my favorite part."

"If we're having a spend-the-night party, why wasn't I invited?" Magnus wanted to know, looking at Alec.

"Maybe because our parents would be kinda curious about the giant, glittering, overly-talkative cow in the living room?" Jace pointed out.

"I take offense to the giant part." Magnus muttered, making Alec laugh.

"He may've been talking about the ego part." Alec pointed out.

"Because he's one to talk." Magnus returned, looking down his nose at Jace, who gave a sweeping bow and a characteristically sardonic grin.

"Put your light sabers away, boys, we're here for the candy, not to bicker and show off our awesome arguing skills." Isabelle's fingering the whip that was still wrapped around her waist helped them to settle down a little bit and Clary was quite greatful.

"Let's go." They went off, walking in an irregular group, with the White Queen of Wonderland and Urahara leading the way, arm in arm. Magnus and Alec walked alongside them and a little bit to the left, obviously deep in some sort of conversation that looked funny: a giant cow walking with his head tilted far to the right so that he could hear the farmer's words.

Clary and Jace trailed in back, Jace taking her hand as they walked. Clary smiled at their fingers entwined and she told him that,

"I'm glad you did wear that costume."

"Why, because I look so good in it?"

"Well, not just that. You actually put some effort into it and that was nice. Thanks." Jace looked sideways at her.

"I do live to please." He answered lightly, but she knew she'd caught his attention with her seriousness. There was only a short pause before, "Hey, you okay?"

"What, I can't thank you for something without something being wrong?" Clary laughed when she said it. Jace's gaze was steady.

"I did it because I thought you'd like it." He admitted, glancing up at the darkening sky. "Girls seem to be attracted to the Phantom, so I thought he'd be a good choice." Clary held back a smile and didn't tease him for being so open with himself, as he'd just pull back, and she treasured these moments when he didn't hold back from her.

"He's also very romantic, right? Another point in his favor." Jace looked back at her.

"Can that be a point in my favor?" Clary's heartbeat picked up, beating a gently excited pulse as his lips warmed hers.

_I love his kisses._

"I thought we weren't supposed to scare the kids." The group had stopped to watch. Clary groaned at them, seeing the amusement and apparent interest on their faces.

"We promise not to be naughty." She said, taking Jace's hand and tugging him up to the group, joining them as they started walking again, toward the first house, where a scarecrow loamed in the front yard and orange-black lights shone around the sidewalk.

"We do?" Jace muttered, closing his fingers around hers. Clary smiled.

"Don't forget our deal. You dress up, I come over. Remember?" Jace's face lit up.

"How could I forget? Let's go faster." He then tugged her ahead of everyone else, making them all laugh as the two broke into a slow run, hand-in-hand. The smiles on their faces were as bright as the stars above and Clary had never been so happy. The laughter of their friends and family rising up into the air, the taste of chocolate on her tongue, the promise of things to come. And best of all, the guy who loved her more than anything.

"Happy Halloween, Jace." _I love you._


End file.
